TheJayHatch

I do detest loud talkers, and am a great believer in brevity on calls in public. But when I am travelling for work its unavoidable to have to make calls in lounges sometimes, and now and again they may go on a little bit. And I personally quite like walking around because (1) it means that I'm not sitting and disturbing one or two particular people nearby with 50% of a conversation and (2) if I do have to mention anything confidential it can be talked about in an area of the lounge without flapping ears nearby. Plus I just like walking around on calls!

The business area is probably the worst place for a call - if I am there I am trying to write something and having someone on a call in what is a confined space would be annoying. I quite like the Terrace - the white noise of the terminal means one's voice is less obtrusive (relatively speaking!) But the area at the top of the escalators up to GF is also good. Its quiet, out of the way (in a sense!) and no-one to annoy. Say 'hi' if you see someone on a phone who looks like they are in lounge purgatory

PUCCI GALORE

My Dear, True though this may be, I'm not sure that I would announce such information on the internet.

Everything that everyone has said is merely, and sadly, a commentary on life in society as a whole. Consideration for others, basic good manners, and politeness are sadly the exception rather than the rule. All of the examples quoted just show that no matter how much money people have, they can still behave like slobs. When people attempt to take over a whole sofa for themselves, that is where I want to sit more than anywhere. I have had people snatch all their beongings and storm off elsewhere to my overwhelming indifference.

As for the text after the phone number being bellowed out - that is priceless and I will indeed attempt it. Thank you!

Actually, is conduct in the Flounge worse then any other Lounges? You use them more than I do so I would love to know whether you think so or not.

GlasgowCyclops

Slightly off topic but I have to tell this.

Reminds me of a day a few years ago in Norway. My sister has a friend who is a total "me monster" and arrived at our holiday apartment. She says "oh, I just happened to be passing" on the way down from Tromso. We all looked at her and thought???? Passing? This is flipping' Henningsvaer, Lofoten, people don't just happen to be passing.

Anyway, she told the story about her at a zoo/wildlife park and a bear was on it hind legs at the fence and was opening its mouth and she said.......

"None of you would know how ferocious a bear can be" With that "me Monster look of smugness"

We all started giggling and my sister then said. "Well Cyclops here does"....... and I said, "Yep I was attached by a bear when I was 16."

Se then turned the topic 180 and said "did I tell you I have a new car?"

Corpt

KARFA

settlenick

2 German guys are watching a movie with the volume on full on their iPad now.
What rude moronic behaviour.

Jagboi

If only we still had phone booths, where people could go inside to make calls and not disturb others.

BOH

About 25 years ago I worked for a fledgling technology company and our #1 competitor and industry leader was a large US based and very well known company.

In the old BA lounge in T1 I sat down and there were 3 spare seats in the cluster around a table and after a few minutes, 2 blokes asked me if the seats were free. They sat down and I quickly realised they were from this key competitor and off to their annual budget setting meeting. They proceeded to rehearse the presentation on their next FY budgets, target markets, pricing and customers, key account plans and large order potentials. In the space of 30 minutes they pretty much unveiled everything a business needs about the plans of their key competitor. Fantastic stuff ^

I have wondered since if ethically I should have got up and left or declared my presence as soon as I realised who they were and what they were discussing - but back then I sat and listened and even took some notes. The world has now changed a bit and my current employer has a strict Ethics and Compliance code and exactly this kind of scenario is included in the policy - the rule is you do not declare who you are but you immediately leave the situation as soon as you realise.

There was an amusing end in that a couple of months later at a major trade show I wandered on to the stand of this #1 competitor and both these blokes were there. One of them came over to me and said, "I think we have met before - remind me". My reply was, "yes you do look familiar but I can't quite remember how and where our paths have crossed"

Dambus

While social behaviors and norms have definitely slipped we also seem to be losing the ability to intervene and communicate/influence/negotiate effectively under any level of interpersonal stress.

The former would most likely improve dramatically if we were all a little better at the latter!

Here in Chicago there was a recent initiative to train new CPD recruits to better de-escalate minor disturbances (ie without resorting to deadly force). This was simply an exercise to go in plain clothes to a mall or a neighborhood and talk to people who were looking a little flustered, interact with small groups hanging out etc. Basic stuff...

The rationale for the training included an observation that the social media generation is losing the capability to read stress levels in others and the skills to communicate under stress.

Not suggesting for one minute that anyone here on this particular social media site has any such developmental issues of course!

Mountlodge

Slightly OT but thought worth a mention, those who think the streets of Central London are their personal running track. ...!!
ML

Though not lounge related a recent incident where a similar annoyance (couple of girls playing Vlogs on their phone at full whack) at the table next to me in Starbucks. So, I went to one of the many porn sites on the interweb and streamed full volume on my phone a porno movie which left little to the imagination as to what the couple were upto in the video. Said girls and I locked eyes and I just said (Now you know how annoying It is for me). Job done as they then shared the headphones. Maybe somewhat drastic but it worked. Oh, and I did stop the stream. Who me, streaming adult movies, really!!
ML

Was the goat guested in or did it have status?

This is one rare occasion when you appreciate being able to listen in to other peoples conversations.

CPH-Flyer

Try not walking to the phone booths in the JAL lounges, the staff will be pretty quick to come by and point out that you are not allowed to use your phone in the open space. I wish all airline lounges were like that .

Bronze

I fail to see why airport and hotel lounges don't have a strict policy of headphones only, no phone, tablet or laptop speakers to be used within the lounge.

It's both annoying and rude when people do this.

Mackle

The last time I flew from T2 I saw Rod Stewart in security - tidying all the left trays away!

GlasgowCyclops

I got the strangest look from someone in GF T5 one day. I "had" to call the office before my connecting because of something only I would know how to sort. There was this chap next to me and I asked "Do you mind of I use my phone, I don't want to disturb you here". He looked at me as if I was daft asking and said. "You can use your phone whenever you like???????"

I felt like saying, I was always told that in a communal places it is good manners to ask (like trains etc), then his phone rang and he was really loud. To the point that the people in my office asked if I was in a bar :-)

jimlad48

I was once on a train going to London listening to an obnoxiously loud american on the phone bragging about some science company he was leading a hostile buy of out for, and then how he was going to let the founder go. He repeatedly emphasised the need for discretion as it wasnt public knowledge yet. So naturally I emailed a friend on the business desk of a major newspaper who promptly ran the story...

I would suggest when loud meetings over phone going on, either go and sit close to them and make copious notes (perhaps intejerjecting with 'hi I work for your rival and as this appears to be a public meeting I'm making notes, I didnt quite catch your last point), or trying to join in the meeting by contributing to it too...